Cleaning and scouring device



March 12, 1963 M. H. GROSS CLEANING AND SCOURING DEVICE Filed June 1, 1961 FIG INVENTOR. MlLTON H. GROSS nite r ts at 3,0il,637 CLEANENG AND SJUURENG DEVICE Milton ii. Gross, Miami Beach, Fla, assignor to Nylonge Corporation, tlleveiand Unto, a corporation of UilEO Filed June 1, 19b1, Ser. No. 114,123 3 Claims. (Cl. 51-155) The present invention relates generally to improvements in cleaning and securing devices and it relates more particularly to an improved combination sponge and scouring device.

The conventional cleaning and scouring devices range in character from the relatively soft highly water absorbent natural or synthetic sponge to the highly abrasive steel Wool pads. These devices are particularly suited for certain limited uses but when employed for other purposes they possess numerous drawbacks and disadvantages and at best represent an unsatisfactory compromise. The sponge type device is characterized by being capable of retaining and dispensing large quantities of water and detergent solution but has a low abrasive quality. As a consequence, it is frequently necessary to employ a powdered abrasive or grit with the sponge, thus necessitating the subsequent rinsing of the scoured surface and cleaning of the sponge to remove the powdered abrasive from the surface and sponge.

it has been proposed to incorporate a powdered abrasive in a synthetic sponge, but this is of little value since any abrasive that is available at the sponge surface is very shortly dissipated or masked. The common steel wool pad, on the other hand, while possessing suitable abrasive qualities, is of low water retention and rapidly deteriorates by reason of its rusting and physical disintegration. By substituting a rustproof material, such as bronze or stainless steel for the steel wool, the rusting is eliminated but the other disadvantages remain while the cost is greatly increased. Soap impregnated steel pads are likewise short-lived and the soap rapidly dissipated. All have the drawbacks of being rough on hands, and fiber pads frequently prick the skin and cause festering sores. Sponges 4 formed of foamed synthetic organic thermoplastic materials have also been provided with abrasive carrying layers, but these too leave much to be desired.

it has been found that the drawbacks of the conventional cleaning and scouring devices are overcome and a high- 1y improved product achieved by employing a regenerated cellulose sponge base upon a face of which is superimposed and secured a preferably abrasive carrying nonwoven thermoplastic fiber pad or mat. There must be complete freedom of flow between the fibrous pad and the sponge member whereby the sponge member serves as a reservoir for a soap or detergent solution and the fibrous pad serves as a suds reservoir and scouring surface, the sponge feeding the pad additional detergent solution only as needed. Many diiliculties are encountered in fabricatlog a product of the above nature and characteristics. Where the fibrous mat is secured by a layer of adhesive applied to a face of the sponge base there results an undesirable impediment to the flow of the liquid from th sponge to the fiber mat and an undesirable stiffening of the device. On the other hand, the secureinent of the fiber mat to the sponge member by embedding the sponge mat fibers in the sponge, per e, is a difficult procedure requiring extensive equipment.

It is thus a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved cleaning and scouring device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved combination sponge and securing device.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved combination sponge and scouring device wherein the sponge serves as a reservoir for detergent solution and feeds the solution to the securing member which functions as a reservoir for the foamed detergent.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved cleaning and securing device of the above nature which is rugged, simple to manufacture and inexpensive.

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an end elevational view of a cleaning and scouring device according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view thereof; and

FIGURE 3 is a perspective View of the sponge body member forming part of the present device, the underface thereof being shown uppermost.

In a sense the present invention contemplates the provision of a cleaning and scouring device on prising a body member which is formed of a compressible porous sponge material, a water permeable scouring member formed of synthetic fibers superimposed upon a face of said body member, and an adhesive securing said scouring member to said body member face at spaced points leaving the remainder of said face free to provide sub-stantially unimpeded liquid communication between said body member and said scouring member.

According to a preferred form of the present invention the body member is formed of regenerated cellulose sponge material and is provided w l a highly water permeable skin along a face thereof whic is of lesser porosity than the body member. The skin is of undulating configuration being provided with parallel ridges and valleys, the adhesive being disposed only in the area of the tops of the skin ridges. The scouring member is defined by a low density open un-woven three dimensional organic fiber web having abrasive particles distributed therethrough and adherent to the web fibers, the web being superimposed on the skin and secured thereto by the adhesive,

Referring now to the drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reference numeral it} generally designates the improved cleaning and scouring device which includes a body member 11 formed of a compressible porous artificial sponge maerial, advantageously of a hydrophyllic nature and preferably a regenerated cellulose sponge material. The body member ill while preferably of a shallow rectangular block configuration, as illustrated, may assume other suitable shapes which are easily handled and is provided with a relatively large face l2 lying substantially along a flat plane.

The body member face 12 is advantageously defined by a highly water permeable skin 13 formed integral with the body member sponge material and of lesser porosity and greater density than the sponge material. The surface 3.2 and s; in 13 are of undulating contour including longitudinally extending parallel ridges id separated by intervening parallel valleys in. The body member 11 may be formed of regenerated cellulose by the viscose process in the conventional manner. The sponge forming mass including viscose, reinforcing fibers, and pore forming sodium sulphate decahydrate crystals, is extruded as a sheet of the desired thickness and at least one surface thereof has the parallel ridges and valleys formed therein either by extruding the mass through an opening having a correspondingly shaped edge or by passing the sponge form ing mass sheet along engagement with a rotating peripherally grooved cylinder. The sheet of sponge forming material is then coagulated, the cellulose regenerated, the sponge then being washed and bleached in the usual manner.

Underlying the body member underface 12 and afiixed thereto, as will be hereinafter set forth, is a scouring member E7. The scouring member 12, is advantageously a low density open non-woven three-dimensional intea grated organic fiber web, the fibers being bonded at their crossing points of contact, the interconnecting voids of the web constituting at least 75% of the volume of the web. The web is flexible, resilient and readily compressible and the fibers forming the scouring web are preferably of diameters between about 25 microns and 250 microns. In addition, abrasive particles are distributed throughout the scouring web and are bonded to the web fibers. Nylon and polyester fibers may form the scouring web. Scouring webs which may be employed to advantage are those described in US. Patent No. 2,958,593 granted November 1, 1960, to H. L. Hoover, et al.

In order to firmly aifix the scouring web 17 to the sponge face 12 and permit the substantially unimpeded liquid and water communication between the body member 11 and the scouring member 17, the scouring member 17 is secured to the sponge face 12 by narrow bands 18 of cement or adhesive extending along the tops of the ridges 18 and disposed between the face 12 and the confronting face of the scouring member 17. The adhesive forming the bands 18 may be of any suitable waterproof and detergent proof type,- such as the natural and synthetic rubber based adhesives and cements, for example, the rubber based adhesives marketed by Armstrong Cork Company as Nos. 21,684, D-256 and 288 and marketed by Swift and Company as No. 7060. The liquid adhesive is advantageously applied to the tops of the ridges 14 to form the bands 18 by the use of a conventional coating roller applicator, the ridges 14 being transported in light tangential contact with the adhesive carrying coating roller. Following the application of the bands 18 of adhesive to the tops of the ridge 14 the web 17 is superimposed thereon with suflicient pressure to effect the adhesion of the web 17 to the body member 11. By reason of the greater part of the face 12 being unc'oated with adhesive there is a free water communication betweenthe web 17 and the body member 11 which is further enhanced by the ridge formation of the face 12.

It should he noted that the web 17 may be applied to a flat face of the body member 11 which may or may not be provided with a skin, although the use of a ridged skin provided face offers many advantages and affords suitable liquid communication between the body member 11 and the web 17. This may be effected by applying the adhesive to the web 17 or the body member face 12 at spaced points leaving the intervening areas free of adhesive. The adhesive may be applied by means of a widely grooved roller applicator, by spraying or brushing through a perforated sheet, or by other suitable means. Furthermore, the dimensions of the web 17 and body member 11 may be as desired. The body member 12 has a thickness preferably between about A inch and 1 /2 inches and the web preferably has a thickness between about /a inch and /2 inch. 1

In employing the improved scouring and cleaning device 10 it is merely immersed in a soap or detergent solution and compressed and released one or more times to saturate the body member with the solution. ing member 17 is then rubbed over the surface to be cleaned, sufiicient pressure being applied to the body member 11 to meter the desired amount of solution to the scouring member 17 where it is foamed and employed in the cleaning and scouring operation.

While there has been described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention it is apparent that numerous alterations, omissions and additions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A cleaning and scouring device comprising a body.

member formed of a compressible porous regenerated cellulose sponge material having a water permeable skin formed along a face thereof of lesser porosity than said body member and provided with raised and depressed areas, a low density non-woven three dimensional organic fiber web superimposed upon said skin, and an adhesive disposed on said raised areas of said skin and securing said web thereto, said skin depressed areas being free of said adhesive to provide substantially unimpeded liquid communication betweensaid body member and said web.

2. A cleaning and scouring device comprising a body member formed of a compressible porous regenerated cellulose sponge material having a water permeable skin formed along a face thereof of lesser porosity than said body member and being of undulating configuration provided with parallel ridges and valleys, a low density nonwoven three dimensional organic fiber web superimposed upon said skin, and adhesive disposed on said skin ridges and securing said web thereto, said skin valleys being free of said adhesive to provide substantially unimpeded liquid communication between said body member and said web.

3. A cleaning and scouring device according to claim 2 wherein said web has abrasive particles distributed therethrough and adherent to the fibers forming said web.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,804,728 Politzer et al. Sept. 3, 1957 2,885,703- Elliott May 12, 1959 2,958,593 Hoover et al. Nov. 1, 1960 3,005,219 Miller Oct. 24, 1961 The scour 

1. A CLEANING AND SCOURING DEVICE COMPRISING A BODY MEMBER FORMED OF A COMPRESSIBLE POROUS REGENERATED CELLULOSE SPONGE MATERIAL HAVING A WATER PERMEABLE SKIN FORMED ALONG A FACE THEREOF OF LESSER POROSITY THAN SAID BODY MEMBER AND PROVIDED WITH RAISED AND DEPRESSED AREAS, A LOW DENSITY NON-WOVEN THREE DIMENSIONAL ORGANIC FIBER WEB SUPERIMPOSED UPON SAID SKIN, AND AN ADHESIVE DISPOSED ON SAID RAISED AREAS OF SAID SKIN AND SECURING SAID WEB THERETO, SAID SKIN DEPRESSED AREAS BEING FREE OF SAID ADHESIVE TO PROVIDE SUBSTANTIALLY UNIMPEDED LIQUID COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID BODY MEMBER AND SAID WEB. 